Oxford, Missisippi, 04:33, 21st March


Jakobs pulled the door back, and was almost bowled over by a Belgian Malinois. He went down, his face covered in licks by a whining dog. Behind the dog could be heard laughter. Dry, very familiar laughter.

"Tank, down" Wander ordered as he stepped around, then took Tank by the collar to pull him off Jakobs. The fallen man sputtered at the spit that had covered his face and open mouth, as he had had it open in surprise. "Tank missed you, you know." Jakobs scowled over at the dog as he stood up, using the truck to lean against. From the other side came Anya, followed by two soldiers covered in full bio-hazard gear.

Jakobs went toward the back of the truck and pulled the hatch down. One of the bio-hazard troops climbed in, then started pushing out one of the containers so the other could take their end. Carefully they took it out and headed for a nearby tent, where they safely assess the whatever they contained.

As they did, Jakobs looked at the others. At least three had been in there, with a couple of weapons containers they had opened already. Any extra firepower they could get their hands was plenty enough for them.

"Quite a wild find, don't you think" he said aloud, and Anya nodded with him.

"Any clue what's inside?" she asked, arms crossed in front of her as they both looked inside. Jakobs shrugged.

"Chemical weapon, nuclear material...could be anything, really."

He heard a whistle to his left, as did Anya and she started moving off. To replace her in Jakobs presence came Hopper, his prosthetic arm resting against the hatch.

"What you think was-"

"Chemical weapon, nuclear mate- I just said this, Hopper." The korean gave him a quick smirk before returning his gaze to the containers. "I'm thinking forty-five minutes."

"Forty-five minutes?"

"Yeah. Till they are done analyzing whatever's inside. That, or under."

Jakobs gave Hop a raised eyebrow, and couldn't help but smile to himself. Despite his age, Hopper had turned out to be quite smart in the long run. Rewiring a Goliath, working on his prosthetic hand. He had quite an outstanding record on himself for being quite useful in the past few years. He was a good kid, Hopper. Jakobs admired that about him, despite all he had been through.

Before long, the pair of bio-hazard soldiers came through again, taking another container. Jakobs watched as they went back into the tent.

"Twenty minutes." Hopper looked at him, wondering what he meant. Then got a smile.

"An hour" spoke up another voice, and they both turned to find Rianna there now. Jakobs stared her down with an amused smile. "Winner gets fifty bucks."

"You're on, Rianna" he answered to her challenge.

So they stood there waiting..and waiting...and waiting. The bio-hazard suits came back for the last container, before disappearing back into the tent. Jakobs set his watch then.

Five minutes...

Ten minutes...

Fifteen minutes...

One of them came out, and Jakobs hopes went up. Till they only ended up going back in, taking some tools back in with them.

Twenty minutes...

Thirty minutes...

Forty minutes...

Fifty minutes...

Jakobs heard Hopper groan as he was leaning on the tray, tapping his fake fingers against the metal.

Fifty-six minutes...

Both the bio-hazards came out, and everyone perked up in the area. They disappeared...then returned with the base commander, headed for Jakobs with Wander also in tow.

"So, turns out what you and your team found was-"

"Bio weapons. Kinda obvious" Wander cut in. The commander nodded. "We need to find out where it was headed."

"Well then...good thing we have a back up plan." Jakobs headed over to the trunk of the car he had come in, and opened it. Revealing an unconscious Buzzard. In the background, Hopper handed thirty-three bucks, all he had to Rianna. Jakobs handed his back, with his eyes still on the unconscious captive.

The commander looked quite impressed. He gestured with a flick of his head to take the captive into the base, where they could interrogate them. Jakobs with Wander's help pulled them out of the trunk, and dragged the captive across the ground. They weren't known to treat their victims with such savagery, the most he would get is maybe a talking to and a bit of...physical motivation. Nothing like what the KPA had in store. They were still rather unconscious and blindfolded. They entered into a tent where the captive was propped up against a chair. The captive was left there, all tied up. After the pair exited the tent and waited outside.

Silence settled in between them as Jakobs sat in the back of the truck. Meanwhile Wander was leaned against the side, kicking about at the dirt at his feet. Whistling a tune while looking down at the same dirt. Wander heard a thump in the truck. He turned and poked his head in to see Jakobs laying on his back, huffing impatiently. Jakobs had had it rough since joining the fight against the KPA. San Francisco was a big blight on him. Yet he never rested. Or never seemed to, at least.

Tank came around to the back and jumped up into the back of the truck, sitting by Jacob. Jacob sat up, ruffling the fur around the dog's neck.

"What in the hell is taking so long?"

"It'll take time to break that guy. But don't worry, it'll be done before the night's e-" They both bolted up as they heard feet rushing over.

They saw what looked like a rather young soldier. He saluted to them both, then spoke,

"Place called Pueblo. In Colorado." Wander could only shake his head. Of all places, that deep in KPA territory. Plus he had bad memories of that area. Of...of Denver...This plan could go sour really quick...And no doubt, they would be the ones to go. He had a feeling it would be them. And Wander guessed as much as soon as the commander came out to meet them.

"You're going to Colorado, gentleman. Gather your things, and your team..." He turned to start going, then stopped for a moment. "Oh, and Wander? You'll be meeting with another group along the way. I realize you may know of them, the team that liberated Chester?" Wander's eyes widened. Could he have meant...The commander started to walk off, leaving Wander with a surprised grin. This would be news, especially to Anya.


Wyatt's POV, Missouri, 05:32 21st March


The news was most thrilling to me. Why would it not be thrilling to me? I had heard news that I was headed out to Colorado. And he would be meeting his sister, Anya. After so long, he would be meeting her again...so why did he have a bad feeling? Sitting on the end of a small a cot, under the shelter of a large tent. They had gone non stop from Chester. The hold on the east was loosening from the KPA's grip, and they were getting desperate to take back territory. They could have Chester if they wanted it, and the rest of the area. They would find no one as the US military had come in by storm to begin evacuation. And not only of the Chester. They had heard of others in nearby territories, the east was being taken once more. New York, other parts of Philadelphia, Rhode Island, Boston. Just a few of the places. The coast was being picked up, and saved.

I could think all about the evacuation, the renewed hope it brought. How the US had begun a westward push as well. Yet I was still anxious. Why?

Denver. That blasted fucking place. And usually I did not think so terribly of a place, but Denver. I almost lost Anya, lost most of the resistance there. It had been a heavy presence for many units of the KPA. Stalkers, Oni, airships. It had been a massive bunker and I had been in the middle. Days of endless torture. Endles fucking torture.

Waterboarding, tasers, brutal beatings. I had the mental and physical scars of the endless pain. And I had my sister and Wander to thank for that. What they had sacrificed, just for me. And since then, I never got any bigger. In fact my group seemed to have gotten smaller. Went from having a whole cell to a small group. Taking on small fry.

I glanced over to the young boy that had started it all in Chester. Who's hope had driven him, and how easily he had taken to being such a resistor. I smiled lightly. He brought a light to my heart some could not. He had been on execution's doorstep, we had saved him. Mathias had...

I sighed, shakily. Mathias, I rarely thought on him anymore. He would rather I looked forward anyway, the crazy Irishman. At least I did not have to hear his drunken rants anymore. I heard a snort and glanced over the other way, laughing under my breath. Milomir. I reminisced when I first came across him. And his secret...

He had come to me bloodied, those he had come with gone. He was the last left. And yet he had been taking on a scout Stalker with just a knife and handgun, with others all around. I had called help in when I had seen and then jumped in, taking them out with my rifle. How he laughed. Back then it seemed like the laugh of a man having plenty of fun. Never again did I hear that laugh.

Again I sighed, thinking about the others of the group. Lydia, the daughter of Mathias. On the outside, a cold-hearted bitch. But on the inside? She was like a daughter to him sometimes, other times a close friend. Then there was the 'bundle of joy' yet fire-eyed Jill. She got so red faced most of the time it was hard to tell if she was just in the sun or angry...well except the huffing and the deadly stare.

I lifted up off the cot, even though I should be sleeping. The news was still in the back of my head, of the next mission. He would have to decide who would come...Hank? He was good with trucks. There was also Antony, who was part Korean. He would make a good disguised KPA to get them in. And he was quiet on his feet. Lydia also, she was a good shot...after Chester I didn't have too much choice. But there were three right off the list. Jill, Milo...and Jason. I could not drag him in again.

I needed some air. So I decided to go for a stroll. Some of the troops had told me they were fine with it the day before, I was known a bit for some things my groups had done that I had worked with. Chester the most recent, how we took it. And about who led them.

My feet carried me out into the crisp night air. Spotlights scanned across the camp, the many tents of now refugees and resistance forces. A truck rolled by, carrying a patrol. The short wall had guns lined along and spotlights, watching for any attacks.

Turning about to the left I started on my way, going down the dirt road the way the truck had gone. A few tents down, I almost jumped out of my skin as someone came out.

"Hank, dammit. You-"

"Wyatt, scared? Hard to believe that" he said, and I could just see his grin which earned a joking glare. "What are you doing up? Can't sleep?" I shook my head.

"You?"

"Was goin' to meet someone actually. They were gonna show me how an Abrams works." Well that was a surprise. Then he caught the grin, and how smug it was. It was more than that...He knew that look. From just before Hank had decided he was going to have a talk with Lydia. Before he came out with a dislocated wrist.

"Who's the lucky girl, hmm?" He shrugged and started off, but also had a real smug look about him.

"I shall see you tomorrow." I lifted a hand, as I remembered I was to ask him about the mission but he was already off. So with that, I shrugged and continued on...to be scared once more. From behind.

I heard my name whispered and turned, finding Lydia on top of some boxes in front of a tent, just off to the entrance's side. How long had she been there, how had I not seen her?

"Enjoying your view up there?" Always had a thing for views. Maybe that was why she enjoyed taking shots by range...

"Not the best. I liked the farm's roof more." Lydia stood up from the boxes, standing high and spreading her arms at as if to hold her balance.

She gave me a look as if to say she knew what I was going to ask.

"I want y-"

"I'm in." I was struck into silence. Then grinned up at her. So she had heard after all. "Not met Anya yet. I know she is your sister so should be fun. Heard she's as great a shot as me." I had said so. Had even boasted she was the best crack-shot I knew.

Lydia climbed off one box, then leaped off the other gracefully.

"I'll start getting packed. So, who's coming?"

"Was gonna ask Hank. Can you ask Delilah and Antony?" She nodded. Delilah had come to mind just then, for she had a good aim and was pretty skilled at taking a soldier from behind by surprise. She had a thing for sticking knives at others and was good at getting words out of others. With different ways of interrogation, Delilah could always work the knowledge out of many Norks. And sometimes rebels, something her cell had dealt with before joining mine.

Off Lydia went, wandering off. I had hoped to have more of a conversation with her, but she was off before I could say anything more.

So with that, I just went off elsewhere. Perhaps I should get myself some rest, even though the time till leaving it would be about four or so hours.

I moved off back to my tent. That's where I laid down in my cot, sighing and slowly closing my eyes...


For three hours. I made three hours of sleep before I was stirred awake. Staring up into the face of Lydia looking down at me.

"You getting up, or what?" I got very startled, almost standing straight up and headbutting her. "Woah, someone's not a morning person." She backed off then Lydia began to make her leave while I sat myself up, rubbing a hand down my face. My gaze shifted to outside. It was indeed morning, past dawn. The sun was partway into the clear sky, and a clear sky was such a rare sight these days. With smoke rising above cities, it was a good sight to see.

Slowly I made my way from the cot and moved out of the tent. It was half empty by now, people had no doubt gone off to get some food for breakfast. Even Jason was off somewhere too. Where exactly was Jason? I shrugged, he would be around somewhere.

Out of the large tent I made my way to the meeting place. There waited the team that I had chosen...as well as several others. Hank, Delilah, Antony, Lydia. And nine others as well as one more speaking to everyone. Two trucks, one with someone standing in the back addressing the others. And as I approached, they took notice.

"Wyatt! Took your time, here. How long did you plan on sleeping, eh?" I shrugged.

"Yeah, guess I wasn't told everything...like how there are several others here?" I shot back, glaring. I had thought it a small team. This many could possibly be a bit much. "This many peo-"

"This many is just the amount needed. And you're in charge, Wyatt...got a problem with that?" That part surprised me. All these people, under my charge? And about a third of them I knew. The others I didn't. I worked perfectly with those I knew. Couldn't even say a thing after having heard that. So, I remained silent. And the guy in charge seemed to see that as acceptable. "The briefing is on the table. Each of you get a copy, once you've read them leave them upon the table. And then, collect gear and get in the trucks. You move in 20 minutes." I nodded, then began to move and took up one of the booklets.

The mission: Command had been contacted by Colorado resistance forces. Something was going on. Something strange. People disappearing, even those respected in KPA districts. This resistance force was one of the more lacking in manpower types. They didn't fight as much against the occupation, and mainly observed. Getting called in meant something was up. After reading it over, I got a T3AK and M9 from the line of tables next to the briefings. Simple and easy load out. Along with that, a KPA soldier outfit. The others did the same, some taking PWS Diablo SMG's, SCAR-L's and one with an M249 SAW. We would fit in just right, just like the other troops in the occupation.

We all boarded the truck following preparation, taking up seats in one of the trucks. The other truck would be holding supplies such as food, ammunition, etc. All of it for the Resistance forces.

"Well, this is new isn't it?" Wyatt laughed at that. It was not the first time that I had worn a disguise such as this. One of the others in disguise coughed, clearing their throat no doubt then went on to speak in an accented voice.

"Better than those Americans and their uniforms" that got more laughs at how well he seemed to pull it off...till Wyatt spoke a response in Korean.

"Best to learn to fit in." The one with the faked accent glared harshly while the others laughed. Soon they were all laughing, except for one that remained silent. Wyatt glanced them over as the others laughed, before assuming they were sleeping, yet something seemed familiar about them. And he couldn't shake it. They seemed to stir, so he thought nothing more on it, even with a few casual glances.

All laughing subsided after a bit, and the trip went quiet. Some went to rest, others twiddling their thumbs or fiddling with their rifles. Even Lydia had fallen asleep, resting on Delilah's shoulder. Hank seemed to be the only one who was wide awake and active, his legs shaking against the flooring of the truck. Wyatt knew why that was, he tended to be the impatient type when it came to action. As well as the nervous type.

Knowing that all was well, Wyatt himself leaned back in his seat, tipping his helmet slightly forward as it could go and rested himself, rifle across his lap.


There was the shocking feeling to his chest, the pain shooting across his body. His pained scream of anguish. Before it finally settled. And all he could do...was laugh. Laugh in their face, a sign of waning strength. It was all he could do to refrain from finally breaking apart before them. Each laugh earned a slap, a beating with batons or another shock therapy.

And all he did was laugh...and laugh...and laugh. In dire urgency and pain...

Wyatt's eyes flung open as a jolt brought him back to reality. The truck had bumped as if passing over something, and the others began stirring too. Looking out the back, they all saw where they had arrived. Ruins of an outer city behind them, some passing patrols. They had arrived.

The vehicle pulled over, as did the supply truck behind them. Some shouts were heard from outside, already the atmosphere in the group grew tense with anticipation. Waiting for a KPA soldier to peek around, shouting at them to get out. Seeing through their disguise, and a full blown battle.

Footsteps could be heard in the dirt. Hands gripped onto weapons. A knock could be heard on the driver's door, followed by an exchange. They had to hope that it would all pay off, that getting a driver that looked like KPA himself and could speak their language.

"Passes! Identification!" A drone passed by the back, scanning the team. A blue ray coming out from the scanner, passing over them. They all held still as it made it's scan...then it went off to some other task. There was some more speaking at the front.

Before they knew it, the vehicle was rolling forth. Wyatt smirked behind the red balaclava over my face. Before turning to the others, speaking in a hushed tone.

"We owe the tech support our lives for this one." The others nodded and murmured in agreement. Had it not been for the chips in the chest part of their uniforms, they would have been caught out for sure.


His cell was dark, smelled musky and old. Dusty. He hated it, hated it all...well except for his one friend who was his cellmate. A young boy by the looks of it. Reminded him of another young boy he once helped with. With a sigh he tilted his head back against the wall. Before starting a coughing fit, leaning on his side. The boy was quick to help the older man up, only to be met by a gruff response.

"I'm fine! I'm...I'm fine" he assured, the last of his coughs dying down now. The boy raised his hands defensively, backing off now.

"You have not been fine since they've been taking you out of the cell. It's getting worse...and still you won't tell me what they do t-" A glare cut him off. A dark look. It was commonplace lately. The boy only rolled his eyes while the older man sat back against the wall again, letting out an exasperated sigh. He was getting tired of all of this. But rescue was not in sight, not for them. Just this endless torture and pain...a guard walked by and the old man thought it was time again. Only for them to haul someone out a few cells down.

"Not yet lad...not yet" he whispered to himself, closing his eyes to rest.